Norval Morrisseau’s Spiritual Vision

Norval Morrisseau (1931–2007) is considered by many to be the Mishomis, or grandfather, of contemporary Indigenous art in Canada. His life has been sensationalized in newspapers and documentaries while his unique artistic style has pushed the boundaries of visual storytelling. The creator of the Woodland School of art and a prominent member of the Indian Group of Seven, Morrisseau is best known for using brilliant colours and portraying traditional stories, spiritual themes, and political messages in his work. For more on Norval Morrisseau read Carmen Robertson’s Norval Morrisseau: Life & Work.

Dr. Carmen Robertson is the Tier I Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Art and Material Culture at Carleton University, Ottawa. An Indigenous scholar, her research centres on contemporary Indigenous arts and constructions of Indigeneity in popular culture. Her most recent book is Mythologizing Norval Morrisseau: Art and the Colonial Narrative in the Canadian Media.